50 years ago, we tried to work together
Times Colonist, David Obee
December 31, 2014
In a few hours we will be in a new year — and that is a good excuse to dive into history to see how far we’ve come. So we’re heading back to Greater Victoria in 1965, a half-century ago.
Here is a headline in the Victoria Daily Times in the closing days of the year: “Regional thinking took over in ’65.”
Yes, that’s right. Back in 1965, just 50 years ago, municipalities in Greater Victoria decided that it was time to start working together. Sort of.
The provincial government had helped guide the way in 1964, when it encouraged closer co-operation between the municipalities, and region-wide thinking. The buzzword was “mini-metro.”
The concept was simple. There should be central authority for services affecting the entire district, and efforts made to reduce the fragmentation that had divided the area for so many years. What a radical concept.
All of the municipalities agreed to take part in a regional sewer survey — an important step, because many homes in the region were still on septic tanks. Half of the homes in Saanich were not connected to sewers.
The municipalities also agreed that regional parks would make sense. Saanich and Victoria agreed in principle that the city’s land surrounding its old reservoir, Elk and Beaver lakes, would be dedicated as parkland. Saanich would provide money to develop the property.
The municipalities agreed to control explosive fireworks. A regional traffic study was launched, and a new intermunicipal deal was signed for library services. That deal led to the Greater Victoria Public Library.
After that, the drive to a regional system started to peter out. A proposed regional plan fell out of favour, and was replaced by a regional system to finance hospital construction, which was rejected by voters.
Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Campbell was not impressed, but vowed to press ahead with a regional government. A few months later, in 1966, the Capital Regional District was created.
Besides the talk of working together, what did 1965 bring?
Victoria’s city hall moved into the computer age with the launch of a punch-card data-processing division.
Urban renewal at Bastion Square was started. The city took over the Crystal Garden. The city also agreed to rebuild Royal Athletic Park, primarily using funds from the estate of Thomas Shanks McPherson, who had also donated the McPherson Theatre at Centennial Square and much of the money for the new library at the University of Victoria.
Centennial Square was completed, along with the city’s parkade on the north side. There was an immediate impact on the blocks nearby, because lots of parking was available and pedestrian traffic was encouraged.
The square was named for the city’s centennial in 1962, the year in which the massive redevelopment was announced.
Encouraged by an offer of $450,000 from the federal and provincial governments to help us celebrate the 1967 centennial, a local committee came up with a plan for a stadium. Saanich wanted it in the Tillicum area, while Victoria wanted it in the Topaz area.
By the end of 1965, the decision was made — not without controversy, of course — to build the stadium at the University of Victoria. It’s on the Saanich side, so we can say that Saanich won that round.
Also in 1965, Saanich opened its $800,000 municipal building just south of Swan Lake, a vast improvement over the old Royal Oak offices. The municipality also set aside money to buy the Cedar Hill Golf Course, and to widen part of McKenzie Avenue to four lanes.
North Saanich was created in the summer of 1965, and Jim Cumming, its reeve — what we would call a mayor today — promised that the new municipality would work closely with its neighbour, Sidney.
Ah, there we have it. More talk of working across municipal boundaries. It is remarkable, in some ways, how far we have come since 1965, but it is also remarkable that some things have stayed the same.
dobee@timescolonist.com
© Copyright Times Colonist
Times Colonist, David Obee
December 31, 2014
In a few hours we will be in a new year — and that is a good excuse to dive into history to see how far we’ve come. So we’re heading back to Greater Victoria in 1965, a half-century ago.
Here is a headline in the Victoria Daily Times in the closing days of the year: “Regional thinking took over in ’65.”
Yes, that’s right. Back in 1965, just 50 years ago, municipalities in Greater Victoria decided that it was time to start working together. Sort of.
The provincial government had helped guide the way in 1964, when it encouraged closer co-operation between the municipalities, and region-wide thinking. The buzzword was “mini-metro.”
The concept was simple. There should be central authority for services affecting the entire district, and efforts made to reduce the fragmentation that had divided the area for so many years. What a radical concept.
All of the municipalities agreed to take part in a regional sewer survey — an important step, because many homes in the region were still on septic tanks. Half of the homes in Saanich were not connected to sewers.
The municipalities also agreed that regional parks would make sense. Saanich and Victoria agreed in principle that the city’s land surrounding its old reservoir, Elk and Beaver lakes, would be dedicated as parkland. Saanich would provide money to develop the property.
The municipalities agreed to control explosive fireworks. A regional traffic study was launched, and a new intermunicipal deal was signed for library services. That deal led to the Greater Victoria Public Library.
After that, the drive to a regional system started to peter out. A proposed regional plan fell out of favour, and was replaced by a regional system to finance hospital construction, which was rejected by voters.
Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Campbell was not impressed, but vowed to press ahead with a regional government. A few months later, in 1966, the Capital Regional District was created.
Besides the talk of working together, what did 1965 bring?
Victoria’s city hall moved into the computer age with the launch of a punch-card data-processing division.
Urban renewal at Bastion Square was started. The city took over the Crystal Garden. The city also agreed to rebuild Royal Athletic Park, primarily using funds from the estate of Thomas Shanks McPherson, who had also donated the McPherson Theatre at Centennial Square and much of the money for the new library at the University of Victoria.
Centennial Square was completed, along with the city’s parkade on the north side. There was an immediate impact on the blocks nearby, because lots of parking was available and pedestrian traffic was encouraged.
The square was named for the city’s centennial in 1962, the year in which the massive redevelopment was announced.
Encouraged by an offer of $450,000 from the federal and provincial governments to help us celebrate the 1967 centennial, a local committee came up with a plan for a stadium. Saanich wanted it in the Tillicum area, while Victoria wanted it in the Topaz area.
By the end of 1965, the decision was made — not without controversy, of course — to build the stadium at the University of Victoria. It’s on the Saanich side, so we can say that Saanich won that round.
Also in 1965, Saanich opened its $800,000 municipal building just south of Swan Lake, a vast improvement over the old Royal Oak offices. The municipality also set aside money to buy the Cedar Hill Golf Course, and to widen part of McKenzie Avenue to four lanes.
North Saanich was created in the summer of 1965, and Jim Cumming, its reeve — what we would call a mayor today — promised that the new municipality would work closely with its neighbour, Sidney.
Ah, there we have it. More talk of working across municipal boundaries. It is remarkable, in some ways, how far we have come since 1965, but it is also remarkable that some things have stayed the same.
dobee@timescolonist.com
© Copyright Times Colonist